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Native Plants Brochure

This is from a brochure prepared by Dr.
Noel Pavlovic, NoŽl Studer, Shelly Swisher and Dr. Ralph Grundel of
the Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station, National Biological
Service, Porter, IN and produced with funding from the Great Lakes
National Program Office of the Environmental Protection Agency.

If you are a homeowner, landscape architect, or someone simply
interested in landscaping in an ecological, cost effective, and
aesthetically pleasing manner, it is time to think about incorporating
native plants into your outdoor design. Native plants are those
flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees indigenous to a geographical
region of North America prior to European settlement.

Landscaping in the likeness of nature brings many benefits. Being
naturally suited for an area, native plants require minimal
maintenance and watering once established. In addition, most species
are perennial or self-seeding biennial plants. Creating floristically
diverse areas can attract songbirds and wildlife in search of shelter
and food. Native plants often attract insects which prey upon pests,
thus decreasing the need for pesticide use. The ever changing beauty
of biologically diverse surroundings will bring you hours of pleasure
and peace of mind because you are landscaping in an ecologically sound
manner.

Site ConditionsFirst of all, it is important to familiarize yourself with the
environmental conditions of the site to be landscaped. Becoming aware
of the relative amounts of sand, silt, and clay in the soil, along
with the available moisture and sunlight is crucial for selecting
plants most suited to an area. For example, a plant which requires a
dry, sandy area in full sun, such as dwarf blazing star (Liatris
cylindracea) will not thrive under a tree in clay soil. Likewise,
wild iris (Iris versicolor), a wetland species, will not live
long on a sandy ridge. Books and seed catalogues about native plant
landscaping contain lists of appropriate species for the environmental
conditions at your site. Assistance with soils may be obtained from
your county extension agent.

Natural Vegetation
CommunitySometimes an area may have been so significantly altered by
agriculture or urbanization that the natural vegetation community
cannot be determined. Personnel at a park nature center, natural
resources office, or university botany department may be able to tell
you what species and vegetation are native to your area. Books about
the local or regional native plants may also help.

Scientific NomenclatureFamiliarizing yourself with scientific names will enable you
to identify accurately plant varieties native to your region. A
nursery may carry five plants called columbine, all in the genus,
Aquilegia. By using the entire two-word species name, Aquilegia
canadensis, you will be able to order the native Midwestern
variety, instead of Colorado columbine, Aquilegia caerulea.

Site PreparationPerhaps one of the most important aspects in maintaining
native plant beds or a meadow is the initial soil preparation.
Incorporating organic matter, such as compost, into the soil will
increase fertility and water retention, especially in sandy soils.
Another key factor is eliminating weedy competition. The method used
to remove competition will depend on the scale at which you are
working. Proper mulching suffices in small areas, but timely disking,
mowing and/or one-time herbicide use prior to planting is necessary
when creating larger prairies or meadows.

Plant AcquisitionObtaining plants from nurseries carrying local stock preserves
the genetic diversity within your ecosystem while ensuring that the
plants are suited to your environmental conditions. Digging plants
from natural areas is strongly discouraged because it is ecologically
disruptive, the plants may not survive, and is, sometimes, illegal.
Instead, seed or plants should be ordered from a nearby nursery.

Time FrameEstablishing native plants is a learning process, requiring
patience and keen observation. Once the proper plants are started in
an area with favorable conditions, it may take three to five years for
complete establishment. During this period, work (weeding, mulching,
and watering) comparable to traditional landscaping may be required.

In essence, when landscaping with native plants, a stable ecosystem
with diverse animal and plant life begins to take form that can
flourish for decades. This brochure provides a list of sources to help
you plan this process. In addition, there is a list of some of the
nurseries throughout the Great Lakes Region that carry native plant
stock.